Swimming device.



F. G. BALDRIDGE.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26.19I5.

1,217,681. I Patented Feb. 27, 1917. 1

- UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. BALDRIDGE, F ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA.

. Escondido, in the county SWIMMING DEVICE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed August 26, 1915. Serial No. 47,441.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK G. BALDRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at of San Diego and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Swimming Devices, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to swimming devices of the general type which are applied to the hands of the swimmer for the purpose of offering resistance to the water, thereby enabling a swimmer to propel himself at greater speed than would otherwise be possible. The invention has for its object to produce what may be properly termed a finger web of flexible and preferably elastic and impervious material, the same being provided with means for attaching it to the fingers of the swimmer who by'spreading the fingers to a greater or less extent is enabled to vary the distention of the web, thereby varying the resistance to the water.

A further object of the invention is to produce a finger web for swimming purposes which will be light, durable and easily applied or detached.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and effective finger web for swimming purposes which will be. applied to the fingers onlywithout encumbering the hand or wrist of the swimmer.

\Vithv these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In. the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifica tions within the scope of the claim may be resorted to' when desired.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is'a perspective view showing the device applied to the hand.

' Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

the edge of the sheet 15-, the strip 17 being attached close to the curved edge of the sheet and the strip 18 suitably spaced therefrom. One end of the strip 17 is made'to overlap one of the end portions 16, and one end of the strip 18 is similarly made to overlap the other portion 16, said end portions being overlapped by the respective strips at the points where they are joined or attached to the body of the sheet, thereby reinforcing the manner of attachment. Each of the .strips 17 and 18 are cemented upon or otherwise suitably attached to the sheet 15 at intervals so as to produce intermediate unattached portions or finger stalls 19, 20, each strip being arranged to form three .such,

disposed approximately finger stalls which are in approximate alinemGHtNVlth each other for engagement with the three middle fingers of the hand, as best seen in Fig. 3, the thumb and the little finger being engaged, respectively, formed by the overlapped end portions 16.

The improved device may obviously be made of any desired dimensions to fit hands of -various sizes, although, owing to the elasticity of the material employed, it will obviously be capable of being stretched to a considerable extent. Owing to the semicircular shape of the sheet, it will, when properly-proportioned, covcr'the fingers and a small portion of the palm only which is amply suflicient for all practical purposes, it being found that any application to the hand or wrist is liable. tohamper the movements of the swimmer. The improved finger web when applied to both hands will con- 'stitute paddles the area of which may be varied by spreading the fingers to a greater with the stalls or less extent, thus enabling the swimmer to vary the resistance according to his strength.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, is

A swimming device consisting of a semicircular sheet having end portions folded to produce a thumb stall and a finger stall, and approximately concentric strips secured at intervals on the face of the sheet to form loops or finger stalls, each of said strips overlapping one of the folded end portions,

and said folded end portions being securely connected With and between saidoverlapping strips and the face of the body of the sheet.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

FRANK e, BALDRIDGE.

Witnesses:

E. M. HALL, H. F. THOMPSON. 

